Photographic film processor



April 21,"1970 R. .1. KoI-ILI-:Ri JR 3,507,204

' PIIO'IOGRPI'IIC FILM PROCESSOR Filed Marchi?. 1967 ROBERTJ KO/-ME/ Jr.:i INVENTOR ArroR/VEY.

United States Patent O 3,507,204 PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM PROCESSOR RobertJoseph Kohler, Jr., Sudbury, Mass., assignor to Itek Corporation,Lexington, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 17, 1967, Ser.No. 624,685 Int. Cl. G03d 3/00, 13/04 U.S. Cl. 95-89 5 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A processor for photograhic film consisting of asupport structure, a plurality of vertically stacked processing modules,and guide rollers on the support structure for enabling the modules tobe easily removed therefrom. The processing modules have fiuid conduitsextending therefrom with disconnect couplers thereon and are removedfrom the support structure in a horizontal direction for cleaning orreplacement purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In patent application 480,450 filed Aug. 17,1965, now U.S. Patent 3,406,627, of Kenneth Howard Day and LloydClifford Sanford, assigned to the same assignee as the presentinvention, a liquid bed processor is disclosed having rows ofhorizontally oriented liquid and gaseous bed processor modules. Liquidbed developing, fixing, and washing modules are often provided togetherwith a hot air dryer module. Turnabouts may be included for feeding afilm emerging from one module into an adjacent module. Such a processoris self-threading and has numerous advantages enumerated in theaforesaid patent applications. These processors operate at high speed torapidly develop large quantities of film on a continuous basis. Rapid,controlled and accurate development of film is essential for certainapplications. On occasion, it may be necessary to clean the applicatorsor otherwise adjust them to produce optimum results, and in doing so themachine remains inoperative for the requisite maintenance period. Y

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one embodiment of theinvention, separate processing modules are provided which are slidablysupported within the support frame or structure so that individualmodules may be quickly and easily extracted and replaced by similarstand by modules and thus valuable processing time is saved. The standby module may be removed from a second inactive processor and insertedinto the active one or, of course, may be supplied from storage. Thisarrangement also greatly facilitates cleaning and adjustment of therollers and applicators situated within the processor modules. Oneembodiment employs a -plate containing rollers sandwiched betweenindividual modules.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent upon reading the detailed description taken togetherwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 discloses a front view while FIGURE 2 discloses a side view ofone embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 3 discloses a side view of a second embodiment while FIGURE 4discloses a broken 'view of a top portion of the roller plate containingone roller.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIGURE l, processing modules 1 and2 are shown in position within a support structure including frameportions 3 and 4. The modules contain liquid ICC applicato-rse which areillustrated as dotted rectangles since their configurations hafve nobearing on the present invention. These modules may also containtransport rollers 7. Apertures 8 serve to forward lrn to the turnab'outs(not shown) and to receive film from the turnabouts.

Ledges 9, forming part of frame structure portions 3 and 4, containrollers 11 which support the modules as shown. These rollers may merelybe positioned within cylindrical nests formed within the ledges or mayconsist of more sophisticated commercially available bearings. Fluidsupply and exhaust pipes such as pipes 12 and 12' may be fitted withinthe back wall of the supporting structure as shown in FIGURE 2. Pipes 12and 12' are coupled to module 1 through quick-disconnect fluid couplers13 and 13 which are standard items of commerce. When the operatordesires to remove module 1, for instance, he may disconnect coupler 13by reaching through an aperture formed within the back wall of supportstructure 4. The operator thereafter grasps handles 14 and 14 and pullsthe module out of the support frame. A replacement module may be readilyinserted thereafter and coupler 13 is manipulated to effect iiuidrecoupling. Obviously, fluid drainage pipes are also provided in likemanner to complete the iiuid circuit which, of course, includes anexternal pump. Mechanical drive disconnects (not shown) are alsoprovided in the case where drive rollers are included within themodules.

FIGURE 3 discloses a second embodiment of the present invention whereinplates 16 and 16 containing rollers 17 and 17 are sandwiched betweenstacked modules. FIGURE 4 illustrates a broken section 16" containingroller 17". The rollers may merely be inserted within rectangularapparatus formed within the roller plates. On the other hand, the entireroller plate assembly could consist of more sophisticated commerciallyavailable roller platform bearings. This embodiment need not requireledges or tracks projecting from the frame support structure, incontrast with the embodiment of FIGURES l and 2.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically described.

l claim:

1. A continuous fiow fluid processor for processing photosensitivecomprising:

(a) a support structure;

(b) a lplurality of vertically stacked horizontal tiers of processingmodules positioned with said support structure;

(c) extraction means .for enabling said modules to be removed from saidsu-pport structure in a substantially horizontal direction; and f (d)said modules having fluid conduits extending therefrom, said fluidconduits having disconnect couplers attached thereto.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said extraction meansincludes rotatable load bearing members for supporting said processingmodule.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support structureincludes a front Vertical wall and a back vertical Wall, each of saidfront and back walls including a plurality of vertically spacedhorizontal ledge means for supporting each module across a pair of frontand back ledge means, with said modules being movable on said ledgemeans.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said extraction 4meanscomprises a plurality of rotatable load bearing members positionedbetween and contacting the lower portion of a rst processing module andthe upper 1,821,129 9/ 1931 Weisker 95-90 'X portion of a secondprocessing module. 3,077,155 2/ 1963 Maddock et al 95-98 5. Apparatus asset forth in claim 4 further including 3,294,004 12/1966 Benson 95-96 a-plate for containing said rotatable load bearing mem- 3,345,928 10/1967Krehbiel 95-89 X bers and maintaining them in position between saidmodules. 5 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner References Cited F. L. BRAUN,Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,377,887 5/1921 Hubbard 95-94U'S' CL X'R' 2,376,032 5/1945 Clare 312441 10 95""96? 312"341

